Mr. Mazzotta's Long Goodbye

April 20, 1985

Two months have gone by since the Orange County Housing Finance Authority learned that its director, Sam Mazzotta, had a business on the side that helped developers obtain authority bonds. Yet the authority seems determined to thumb its nose at everyone rather than make a change.

The authority never asked for his resignation as executive director. When he submitted it on his own last month, the authority said it would hold off on a departure date until he came up with a transition plan for his successor. Now Mr. Mazzotta has until May 8 to announce when he will leave. That's ridiculous.

In the meantime the authority hasn't even advertised for a replacement. Nor has it sought a legal opinion as to whether Mr. Mazzotta's moonlighting violated state conflict-of-interest laws.

Instead, Mr. Mazzotta is allowed to continue drawing his salary of nearly $50,000 a year and benefit from such things as an expense account, a luxury automobile and a $3,600 annuity. Next week he's scheduled to travel to Houston, at the authority's expense, to attend a national meeting of housing authorities -- the perfect setting for a job hunt.

This nonsense has gone on long enough. The authority should get Mr. Mazzotta off the payroll, find his replacement and get on with business.